James DeGale Out Due to Shoulder Injury

Britain’s IBF super-middleweight world champion James DeGale will be out for 6 months. The boxer revealed last week that he will undergo surgery but hopes to be back by the end of the year.

The 31-year-old, who won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics, said that he picked up the problem in his shoulder during the build-up to the fights against Mexico’s Rogelio Medina in April, 2016.

He won the fight and again battled through the pain when he traveled to New York to face Sweden’s Badou Jack. The fight resulted in a twelve round draw.

“I suffered the injury several weeks before I fought Rogelio Medina 12 months ago but decided to fight through the pain, as I did earlier this year against Badou Jack.

“I was only operating at 60 to 70 percent however and that showed against Jack – I only threw seven jabs in that fight and I wasn’t able to throw a hook.

“Thankfully I’ve been good enough to get away with not being at my best, but I was almost found out in New York.”

The operation is for a “scrape and tighten up”, or more specifically a diagnostic arthroscopy and ACJ stabilization.

“My arm will be in a sling for a few days and I’ll be given exercises to do on my own. A few weeks later, I’ll start my rehab with my physio and within eight to ten weeks I should be able to spar. I will definitely be able to fight before the end of the year.”

Meanwhile, DeGale has been linked to a potential rematch with George Groves, who won the WBA super-middleweight title last month. However, DeGale doesn’t believe that Groves deserves a 50-50 for the fight and said that negotiations would be difficult.

“Groves thinks he’s bigger than he is, especially after his fights with Carl Froch,” he said.

This kind of sentiment makes it difficult to believe that a rematch between DeGale and Groves is at all possible.

what does this mean for betting on boxing in the near future?

Well, firstly you need to consider the fights scheduled for 2017. There were 17 world-title fights in April alone, which included the heavyweight bout between IBF champion Anthony Joshua and former division superstar Wladimir Klitschko ꟷ a fights Klitschko could have won if he were 10 years younger.

As always, there are a number of potential fights that could make 2017 a banner year for the sport. Floyd Mayweather vs. Conor McGregor is but one example. McGregor, who knows that Mayweather will never fight in the UFC, got his boxing license in California to make the fight a reality. Behind the scenes photos show both parties training for the matchup which sources believe could take place as soon as September.

Who will you bet on if an agreement between Mayweather and McGregor is reached? This is a good place to get reviews of the casinos todaythat offer betting on boxing.

Tips for betting on boxing

Boxing is a popular sport amongst fans and bettors alike. Many believe that hand-to-hand combat is one of the purest forms of sport and boxing bettors will rarely pass up the opportunity to place their bet on the outcome of the fight, whether it is a fight between two evenly matched professionals or a classic match between old adversaries.

The most common bet on boxing is to simply bet on which fighter will win the match. Bettors will often bet on the fighter with the best record. However, a bet on the underdog could result in a bigger payout. Another popular bet is wagering on the total number of rounds in the fight. A typical match between two knockout specialists would comprise of fewer rounds, while the fight will often be determined by a K.O, T.K.O or in some cases, disqualification.

At the same time, some big fights will allow punters to bet on specific types of decisions. For example, in the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight, Mayweather was the overwhelming favorite with -225 over Pacquiao at +175. Consequently, bettors could place specific bets such as Mayweather by Decision or Mayweather by Knockout.

The value you receive from betting on boxing is also determined by the sportsbook you choose. After all, not all sportsbooks are the same and will sometimes not entertain specific types of bets. This is especially true when the fight is between two unevenly matched boxers. The most important thing to keep in mind when betting on boxing is to choose your bets wisely. Consider all aspects of a fight and what type of bet you are the most comfortable with.

Want to write for BOXING 4 FREE?

BOXING 4 FREE is looking for enthusiasts of the sport to contribute articles and posts to this website.
Are you a boxing fan and would like to write about fight predictions, training routines, fight commentary, boxing news, reviewing boxing books, discuss boxing history, etc.?
If so, contact me, Justin M. Salvato, through the contact link at the top of the site.
If you want to ADVERTISE, contact me and we'll discuss rates.